1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,080 You know, the model life is a life that's built around 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:07,600 thankfulness, not just joyfulness, and not just 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:13,000 prayerfulness, but thankfulness. The trilogy of commands in First 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:19,880 Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 1617 and 18 exemplify the life 5 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:24,040 of adoration, the life that truly adores God and worships 6 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:28,640 God. And it's always marked by 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,360 joyfulness, prayerfulness, and thankfulness. 8 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,440 Over the last several weeks we have spent time looking at what 9 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,320 it means to rejoice always, verse 16, what it means to pray 10 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:46,760 without ceasing, verse #17 today, what it means to give 11 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:51,400 thanks in everything. For this is God's will in Christ 12 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:57,520 Jesus concerning you. The will of God is not just to 13 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:01,880 be thankful. The will of God encompasses the 14 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:06,360 trilogy of commands. God's design and God's desire 15 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:12,760 for you is that you be joyful, you be prayerful, and that you 16 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,800 be thankful. If you want to understand the 17 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,000 will of God for your life, that's where it begins. 18 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,440 If you're looking for God to guide you into a, a new job or 19 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,160 or guide you into the person you are to marry or, or to guide you 20 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,760 and making the right decision. And yet you have a a bad 21 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:35,080 attitude and are ungrateful and you don't pray always and you 22 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,560 have a sad heart and not a joyful heart. 23 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:39,920 Guess what? You're not going to have any 24 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:44,040 direction whatsoever because God's will for you is that you 25 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:49,760 be joyful, you be prayerful and you be thankful all the time in 26 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,080 everything. This was guy's not designed for 27 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,440 us. This only one's for his 28 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,120 children. So incredibly important every 29 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,280 year at at Thanksgiving, which is about 12 weeks away, just in 30 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,560 case you didn't know it's it's right around the corner. 31 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,960 I always tell you that that Thanksgiving is not a holiday 32 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,800 vacation. It's a holy vocation. 33 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,840 We look at Thanksgiving is a time to get away, a vacation 34 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,400 time, a holiday. You look at it for the wrong 35 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,520 reason. It's a holy vocation. 36 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,760 We've been called by God to give thanks. 37 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,600 Listen to what the psalmist says in in Psalm 100, very familiar 38 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,600 Psalm to most of us. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all 39 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:42,760 the earth. In other words, be joyful. 40 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,120 Serve the Lord with gladness, come before Him with joyful 41 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:49,840 singing. Know that the Lord himself is 42 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,680 God. It is He who made us in, not we 43 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,560 ourselves. We are His people and the sheep 44 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,880 of His pasture. We've been formed by God. 45 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,320 We've been made by God. We are His people. 46 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:06,160 Therefore, enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with 47 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,600 praise. Give thanks to Him. 48 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,880 Bless His name, for the Lord is good, His loving kindness is 49 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,680 everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations. 50 00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:22,120 Come into His presence with Thanksgiving. 51 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:27,480 Enter His courts with praise. When you come to worship the 52 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:33,000 Lord, you come with a thankful heart, a heart filled with joy 53 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,840 and praise to God. Did you come to church today, 54 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,160 Grumpy? Did you come to church today 55 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,280 with a bad attitude? Did you come to church today 56 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,200 because things weren't going your way in the car on the way 57 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,480 over? So many times we we get off 58 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:53,280 kilter by by looking at all the negative circumstances instead 59 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,720 of realizing all the things that God has done. 60 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,480 I love what the psalmist says over in Psalm 116. 61 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,880 He says in verse #12 what should I render to the Lord for all of 62 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:08,480 his benefits toward me? So someone was to ask you a 63 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:10,880 question and say, OK, what will you render to the Lord? 64 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,800 What will you give to the Lord for all the benefits that he's 65 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:15,880 bestowed upon you? What would you say? 66 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:22,400 Psalmist answers. He says, I shall lift up the cup 67 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:27,120 of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. 68 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:31,720 Because of all the things the Lord has done for me, I will be 69 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:38,120 #1 prayerful #2 I shall pay my vows to the Lord. 70 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:43,000 O may it be in the presence of His people. 71 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,600 I will pay my vows. I will be responsible. 72 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,280 Not only will I be prayerful, but I will be dutiful to to 73 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:56,800 fulfill my responsibility. And then he says, precious in 74 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:01,520 the sight of the Lord is the death of his godly ones. 75 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:07,720 I will be hopeful for 16. Oh Lord, surely I am your 76 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,320 servant. I am your servant, the son of 77 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:14,360 your handmaid. You have loosed my bonds because 78 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:18,160 I'm your servant. I will not just be prayerful, 79 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:23,600 not just be dutiful, not just be hopeful, but I will be useful 80 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,720 because I am your servant and I will be used by you for your 81 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,960 glory. And then he says this to you. 82 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:38,880 I shall offer a sacrifice of Thanksgiving and call upon the 83 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:43,160 name of the Lord. I will be thankful. 84 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:49,440 I will be thankful. Let me ask you a question. 85 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:52,720 Does that characterize you today? 86 00:05:54,960 --> 00:06:01,760 William Law, an 18th century writer and preacher, wrote a 87 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:08,240 book entitled A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. 88 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:15,560 In that book he says this. Would you know who is the 89 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:23,120 greatest St. in all the world? It is not he who prays most. 90 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:32,560 It is not he who fasts most, it is not he who gives most alms or 91 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:38,240 is most imminent for temperance, chastity, or justice. 92 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:47,040 But it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills 93 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:51,480 everything that God willeth, who receives everything as an 94 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:57,880 instance of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to 95 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:05,120 praise God for it. The greatest St. in all the 96 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:11,200 world is a St. that gives thanks unceasingly to God. 97 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:18,040 I wonder if you do that? Paul says we're to give thanks 98 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:25,800 in everything. In everything in Ephesians 5, he 99 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:31,200 says we're to give thanks for everything. 100 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,120 So when you think about that and you think, OK, I'm to give 101 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,680 thanks for everything, yes, that's what it says. 102 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:47,480 And in everything, absolutely. But the question comes, do we do 103 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,680 that? And for the most part, we don't. 104 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:56,640 But you have to realize that that that thankfulness is is 105 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:03,240 what sets the Christian apart from everyone else in the world. 106 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,760 In fact, listen to what it says over in second Timothy chapter 3 107 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,200 verse #1 says. But realize this, that in the 108 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:16,240 last days, difficult times or perilous times will come. 109 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,600 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, 110 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:25,200 arrogant vilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful. 111 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,720 The characteristic of perilous times and and the word for 112 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:34,280 perilous or or difficult times is the same word used in Mark's 113 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,559 gospel to talk about a man who was demon possessed. 114 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:43,400 So he's talking about demonic times, the times that are 115 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,520 characterized by demons in times. 116 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,040 What is mostly characteristic is that people will be not just 117 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:55,640 disobedient to parents, but they're going to be ungrateful. 118 00:08:55,640 --> 00:09:01,160 In fact, Romans one says it this way, Romans one verse #21 For 119 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,320 even though they knew God, they did not honor him, ask God, or 120 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:08,040 give thanks to God. The characteristic of the 121 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:11,160 unbeliever is that he will not give thanks to God. 122 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:16,920 Not that he can't, but he won't. He just won't give thanks to 123 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:22,920 God. And yet the believer is 124 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:29,920 characterized by a heart filled with Thanksgiving, filled with 125 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:35,400 gratitude, filled with gratefulness to their God. 126 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,520 So important. Turn in your Bible, if you 127 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:48,400 would, to Luke's gospel, the 17th chapter, Luke's gospel, the 128 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:53,400 17th chapter. You know the story. 129 00:09:55,680 --> 00:10:02,160 It's a very familiar story, says in verse #11 when he was on the 130 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:06,240 way to Jerusalem, he was passing between Samaria and Galilee. 131 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:11,280 As he entered a village, 10 leprous men who stood at a 132 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:15,960 distance met him and they raised their voices saying, Jesus, 133 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:24,600 Master, have mercy on us. Now here are these 10 lepers. 134 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:31,520 They're in this in the outskirts of this village, and they see 135 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:35,520 Jesus coming. And the reputation of Jesus by 136 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,920 this time is, is all throughout the land of Israel. 137 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,440 Everybody knows who Jesus is. He's the miracle worker. 138 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,720 He takes the blind and causes them to see, takes the lame and 139 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:54,960 lets them walk, takes the dead and raises them up. 140 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:00,960 So here comes Jesus. And so these men who are, who 141 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:06,880 are filled with leprosy, see this as an opportunity to ask 142 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:11,720 Jesus to plead with Jesus to have mercy upon them and heal 143 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,720 them. I mean, if it was you, would you 144 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,520 not do that? Of course you would. 145 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:21,320 Here's the miracle worker. Here's the all powerful one. 146 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,200 Here's the one that can do what no one else has ever done. 147 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:28,600 Well, we, we need to ask him to have mercy upon us. 148 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:36,160 Look what happens next. When he saw them, he said to 149 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:43,800 them, go and show yourself to the priests in Luke 5, he he 150 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:48,040 touched the man with leprosy. He doesn't touch these men. 151 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,880 He doesn't say be healed, don't do that either. 152 00:11:55,440 --> 00:12:00,000 He he wants to to test the meagerness of their faith. 153 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:06,320 You see, they already believe that Jesus is a miracle worker. 154 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:09,920 So they already believe in the power of Jesus. 155 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:13,720 They already believe in the reputation of Jesus. 156 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,840 So that's their faith. They, they, they believe in who 157 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,200 he is based on what he has done already. 158 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:30,320 And so he says to them, go and show yourself to the priest. 159 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,040 Why would we say that? Because Christ came to fulfill 160 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,520 all the law. And the law in Leviticus 17 and 161 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:40,480 18 would meant that the priest who are the inspectors of those 162 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:43,400 who are leprous, would determine whether or not they were healed 163 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:46,040 or not. And he wants them to go to the 164 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:50,680 priest, because 10 men who are filled with leprosy, who are 165 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:55,920 healed is an overwhelming example of the power of God to 166 00:12:55,920 --> 00:13:00,200 the priest of Israel that they would not be able to deny. 167 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,680 And so he says, go and show yourself to the priests. 168 00:13:06,560 --> 00:13:12,560 And so they all get up and they make their way toward the temple 169 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:21,320 in Jerusalem, so says. And as they were going, they 170 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:30,920 were cleansed. So uneventful, so low key, No 171 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:36,320 balloons, no whistles, no lights, no hoopla, nothing like 172 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:42,040 that. Just as they were going, they 173 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:46,440 were cleansed. This is a remarkable 174 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:51,080 understatement in the Scriptures, but that's what the 175 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:56,720 the Lord wanted to say. And then it says this. 176 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:02,480 Now one of them we saw that he had been healed. 177 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:12,480 Turn back, turn back, glorifying God with a loud voice and fell 178 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:19,560 on his face at his feet, giving thanks. 179 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:33,400 He was a Samaritan. See, this man wanted physical 180 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:44,720 cleansing, but he knew he needed spiritual cleansing, and so he 181 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,720 knew that. So he went back to the one who 182 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:56,800 cleansed him and glorified his name with a loud voice, No shame 183 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:04,240 praising his name, then falling down before him, because worship 184 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:09,520 is known by a thankful heart. Not only am I joyful and 185 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,440 prayerful, but I am thankful. It's the model life of 186 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:16,400 adoration. So he here, here, he adores his 187 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,160 God. He falls before him and gives 188 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:23,640 thanks to him. He recognizes his deity, He 189 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:28,200 understands his iniquity, and he cries out for mercy. 190 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:34,600 And Christ responds with three simple questions. 191 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:44,560 Were there not ten cleansed that, he says, but they're 9. 192 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:52,480 Where are they? Was no one found who returned to 193 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:57,600 give glory to God except this foreigner, this Samaritan? 194 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,120 Was no one willing to to exalt God? 195 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:07,040 Was no one willing to adore God, to worship God except this one 196 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,920 person? You see, they're, they're 197 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,600 indicative of Israel. They, they want Jesus to do for 198 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,120 them. When Jesus feeds them, they're 199 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:20,240 great. They love him. 200 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,600 When Jesus heals them, they are ecstatic. 201 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,160 But when Jesus preaches to them, they can't stand him. 202 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:32,200 They just love what Jesus does for them. 203 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:37,400 They were consumers, a lot like people today and in the church. 204 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,160 They go to church for what the church can do for them. 205 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,560 They are called consumer Christians. 206 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,120 Can the church do this for me? Can the church do that for me? 207 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:50,280 Can the church meet this need? Can the church meet that need? 208 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,120 That's the way the Israel was with with with Jesus. 209 00:16:55,640 --> 00:17:00,320 Do this for me. Jesus He did because he's a God 210 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:04,520 of grace, mercy, compassion, and love. 211 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:10,920 Were there not ten? There were cleansed. 212 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,800 Where are the other nine? Where'd they go? 213 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:18,800 How come they're not with you? Do they not want to recognize 214 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:25,160 God and give glory to his name? He said to him, Stand up and go. 215 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:33,120 Your faith has made you well. The word for well is sodzo, most 216 00:17:33,120 --> 00:17:35,160 common word for salvation in the Testament. 217 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:42,680 Your faith has saved you. See, the unbeliever doesn't care 218 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,480 to give thanks. There's a want to give thanks. 219 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,360 The believer cannot help but give thanks. 220 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,800 That's the difference. And that's why the model life is 221 00:17:55,800 --> 00:18:03,640 filled with with adoration. And yet, yet we find it's such a 222 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:10,480 hard thing to be thankful in everything. 223 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,480 Turn with me in your Bible to another passage. 224 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,840 Again, another familiar one, but always good to be reminded. 225 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:28,600 And that's the passage in the book of Philippians, Philippians 226 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:34,080 chapter 2. So we are to give thanks in 227 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:38,160 everything. First Thessalonians 518 we're to 228 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,840 give thanks for everything or for all things. 229 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:47,600 Ephesians 520 so Paul is going to turn that around and say 230 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:54,120 these words in Philippians 214 do all things, all things, all 231 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:59,880 things without what grumbling and disputing. 232 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:06,400 So in all things, give thanks, give thanks for all things, so 233 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:12,640 that in all things you do not grumble or complain. 234 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,680 The word for dispute is a is a word to question. 235 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:19,880 Do all things without questioning. 236 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:22,080 That's very hard for us, isn't it? 237 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:24,400 We always want to know the answer. 238 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:25,800 Why? Why? 239 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,280 Why do I have to do this? Why do I have to obey that 240 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,000 command? Why do I have to forget that 241 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:31,040 person? Why? 242 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:35,120 And God just give commands. He doesn't give suggestions and 243 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:37,880 he doesn't OfferUp an opinion. He just gives you commands. 244 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:45,000 And the word for grumbling is a is a word for complaining. 245 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:51,280 Complaining. Now maybe that's not you today, 246 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:54,440 but people have all kinds of things to complain about. 247 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,120 They complain because we have bagels and not doughnuts in 248 00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:01,080 between services. Figure that. 249 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,040 Figure that they complain because there's not air 250 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:09,560 conditioning in the foyer. But there's a method to our 251 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:11,840 madness. It gets you into the auditorium 252 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:13,160 quicker where it is air conditioned. 253 00:20:14,360 --> 00:20:16,520 But we complain there's no air conditioning in the foyer. 254 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:20,720 We complain about how long it takes to sign in our children to 255 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:26,480 take in the class. We complain about where we have 256 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,760 to park in the middle of someone on the outskirts of someone on 257 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:31,960 the other side of the auditorium. 258 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,480 We, there are so many things that we complain about. 259 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,760 We don't even think about it. If Paul says, I want you to do 260 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:47,040 all things without complaining, as a mother, I, I want you to, 261 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,880 to care for your children without complaining, without 262 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:57,640 grumbling, right? You ask the Lord for children. 263 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,680 The Lord gives you a gift, and then you complain about how much 264 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:02,200 time it takes to take care of the children. 265 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:07,480 Why would you do that? There are gifts from God. 266 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:14,000 If we find ways to complain and grumble, we complain because I 267 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,200 no longer can do the things I used to do when I didn't have 268 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,480 children, but now that I have children, I can't do those 269 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,440 things anymore. So I complain about not having 270 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:24,200 time to do those things and I begin to grumble and mumble. 271 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:32,080 You see, we find so many things to to complain and moan and and 272 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:37,840 groan about. And Paul says just the reverse 273 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:43,800 of Ephesians 520 and 1st. That's why it's 518 and 274 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:49,800 everything that you do, don't complain and do not grumble. 275 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:56,520 Do not question. So that what you will prove 276 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:01,720 yourselves to be blameless, innocent children of God above 277 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,000 reproach, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, 278 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:10,000 among whom you appear as lights in the world, in order to prove 279 00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:13,200 that you are different than the world, in order to prove that 280 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:15,960 you are a light in the world, in order to prove that you are a 281 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:18,760 child of God. It comes because you do not 282 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,320 complain and you do not question. 283 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:30,240 I love the words of Thomas Watson, that great Puritan 284 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,720 preacher and writer, when he said this. 285 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:39,160 By praise a Christian excels all the infernal spirits. 286 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:44,120 Do you talk of God? So does the devil. 287 00:22:45,360 --> 00:22:51,480 He brought scripture to Christ. Do you profess religion? 288 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:58,120 So can the devil. He transforms himself into an 289 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:02,080 Angel of light. Do you fast? 290 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:09,720 The devil never eats. Do you believe the devils have a 291 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,320 faith of ascent? They believe, and yet they 292 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:16,160 tremble. But as Moses worked such a 293 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:21,200 miracle as none of the magicians could reproduce, so here is a 294 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:25,920 work Christians may be doing which no or none of the devils 295 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:32,120 can do, and that is the work of Thanksgiving. 296 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:38,320 Devils can't do that. Only the Christian can. 297 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,400 The world grumbles and Mumbles and moans and groans and 298 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:49,520 disputes, right? But the Christian, no, he, he 299 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:51,160 proves himself different than the world. 300 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:53,520 He's he's completely the opposite. 301 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,920 He's given thanks in all things and for all things. 302 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:08,760 I love the story that Spurgeon tells when he says I once heard 303 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:12,280 a a touchy story about a poor woman with two children who had 304 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:17,440 no bed for them to sleep in, and scarcely any clothes to cover 305 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,040 them. In the depth of winter. 306 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,280 They were nearly frozen, and the mother took the door of a cellar 307 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:28,720 off the hinges and set it up before the corner where they 308 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:35,200 crouched to sleep, that some of the draft and cold might be kept 309 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:39,600 from them. One of the children whispered to 310 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:46,680 her when the mother complained. Mother, what do those dear 311 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:53,760 little children do who have no cellar door to put up in front 312 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:58,560 of them, hmm? Spurgeon says. 313 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:03,520 Even there you see the little heart found cause for 314 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:09,400 thankfulness. Thankful for a cellar door that 315 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:15,480 just blocks some of the cold. Not all the cold, but just some 316 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:20,160 of the cold. And what do those children do 317 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:26,000 who have no cellar door to block the cold for them? 318 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:36,440 A heart of thankfulness. Now I know that most of us hear 319 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:41,240 this and think little of it. It's not that big a deal. 320 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,400 Oh, it's a big deal. Let me show you turn to 1st 321 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:57,240 Corinthians chapter 10, First Corinthians chapter 10 and let 322 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:58,880 me show you how big a deal this is. 323 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,680 First one for I do not want you to be uninformed, brethren. 324 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:07,480 I don't want you to, the King James Version says. 325 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:12,160 I don't want you to be ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were 326 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,640 all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all 327 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:20,600 were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all 328 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:23,560 ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual 329 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,040 drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which 330 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:31,840 followed them, and the rock was Christ. 331 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:38,840 He talks about Israel's privileges and all that they had 332 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:42,120 as a unit, as a nation that came from God. 333 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,400 Verse 5. Nevertheless, with most of them 334 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:54,600 God was not pleased, for they were laid low in the wilderness. 335 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,880 This is a nice way of saying they died in the wilderness. 336 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,840 Here was this nation who received all these blessings 337 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:06,840 from God, and they received them all at once as a as a nation of 338 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:14,200 of 2 million Jews. But nevertheless, for a lot of 339 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:15,920 them, God was not even pleased with them. 340 00:27:18,360 --> 00:27:24,440 So he killed them in the wilderness for six. 341 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:30,640 Now these things happen as examples for us so that we would 342 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:34,680 not crave evil things as they also crave. 343 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:39,120 This is an example. This is an illustration Paul was 344 00:27:39,120 --> 00:27:43,000 telling the Church of Corinth. Look, these are examples of what 345 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:49,080 not to do. He says verse 7, do not be 346 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:52,840 idolatrous as some of them were. As it is written, the people sat 347 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,400 down to eat and drink, and stood up to play. 348 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,720 Nor verse 8 Let us act immorally, as some of them did, 349 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:08,200 and 23,000 fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some 350 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,920 of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 351 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:23,600 Nor grumble question as some of them did and were destroyed by 352 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,600 the destroyer. We understand where God would 353 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:29,760 kill those who committed idolatry. 354 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:33,600 We understand that God would kill those who committed 355 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:37,920 immorality. But why would God kill somebody 356 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:41,720 who grumbles? I mean, compare the two 357 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:46,160 grumbling, idolatry, complaining, immorality. 358 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:50,200 In our minds, they're like, whoa, there's such a difference 359 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:55,200 between the two sins. But in God's mind, sin is still 360 00:28:55,200 --> 00:29:01,400 sin. And of course, the reference is 361 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:08,400 Numbers chapter 16, where they're in Numbers 16. 362 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:15,040 Cora Dathan in a Byram rebelled against the leadership of Moses 363 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:21,080 and Aaron, and God opened up the ground and swallowed them and 364 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:24,960 their families all alive, and then closed the ground over 365 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:31,280 them. And then 250 other men thought 366 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,640 that he could act like priests. And God sent fire down from 367 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,400 heaven and incinerated those men. 368 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:47,440 And the people complained. They grumbled, They questioned 369 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,400 Moses, and then questioning Moses, they were questioning 370 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,360 God. Why would God do this? 371 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:55,600 Why would God lead us out here and then kill us? 372 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:03,280 And God was incensed. So instead of plague and killed 373 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:09,800 14,700 of them, if it wasn't for Moses and Aaron interceding on 374 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,280 Israel's behalf, he probably would have killed every single 375 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:21,360 one of them. Grumbling questions and doubts. 376 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:32,200 God's sovereignty, His goodness, His mercy, His Providence. 377 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:37,200 When you begin to grumble and complain, you are saying, God, 378 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:41,480 you didn't do it good enough, or you didn't do it right, or you 379 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:45,240 didn't do it in my way, because my way is better than God's way. 380 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:52,040 You gave me this when I asked for that, You did this when I 381 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:56,920 wanted that and to begin to complain. 382 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:03,720 Husbands do it all the time, following in the footsteps of 383 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:08,400 Adam. When Adam said it's the woman 384 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:12,800 you gave me Lord, he blamed the Lord. 385 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,800 He grumbled to complain because of sin, because of the woman 386 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:21,040 that God gave him. See and see. 387 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,160 Isn't it a miracle that that that God doesn't kill us when we 388 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,400 grumble? Think about that. 389 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:29,000 Think. Think about your day. 390 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,920 Think about your week, how many times you complained about what 391 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:36,640 was taking place in your life, your family, your work, your 392 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:41,840 school, because things didn't go the way you thought they should 393 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:49,720 go. So you criticize, You moan, you 394 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:56,280 complain, you groan over and over and over again. 395 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:03,120 And God in his grace allows you to continue living. 396 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:13,000 That is a that is a walking miracle of God that you're still 397 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:18,760 alive today even though you disobey the commands of God. 398 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:30,040 So Paul says, do not grumble, do not complain about anything, 399 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:37,840 just don't do it instead in everything and for it just give 400 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:43,480 thanks to God. Can you do that? 401 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:47,640 If you're an unbeliever, you cannot do that. 402 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:54,160 You don't even want to do that. If you're a believer, your 403 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,720 hearts cry as Lord, I want to, I want to cry out to you and, and 404 00:32:57,720 --> 00:32:59,960 thankfulness for what you've done. 405 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,200 Am I to thank the Lord for for a bad marriage? 406 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:12,240 Absolutely, absolutely. Because why is the marriage bad? 407 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,280 Is it just all on him or all on her? 408 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:19,600 Or do you play a part in it as well? 409 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:27,400 And bad is relative, is it not? To you? 410 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:31,880 Your bad marriage might be good to somebody else's marriage, I 411 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:36,680 don't know. But do you rejoice with the wife 412 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:40,680 of your youth? That's what Solomon says. 413 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:43,520 Rejoice with the wife of your youth. 414 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,880 But we want to complain about the wife of our youth because 415 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:48,240 she doesn't do what she used to do. 416 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,240 Well, that's no good. Who's that help? 417 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:59,560 We, we had to give thanks for everything in everything. 418 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:03,960 And I know that some of you right now your, your wheels are 419 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:07,440 spinning in your mind and you're looking for an excuse that says, 420 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,239 you know God. I know that God does not expect 421 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:15,360 me to give thanks in this situation or for this situation. 422 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:17,280 I know you're, you're thinking that and you're going to ask the 423 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,360 question, well, what do you mean that I in this situation or, or 424 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:24,840 in this circumstance or or in this way or I know you're asking 425 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:27,600 that question in your own mind. We all do. 426 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:36,239 But can't we just rest in what God has said, because 427 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:38,600 thankfulness reveals so much about our lives? 428 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,719 It reveals #1 this is my outline. 429 00:34:42,719 --> 00:34:44,000 This is all introduction up to now. 430 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:49,120 It reveals our conversion to Christ. 431 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:54,719 That's the Philippians 2 says. It reveals our conversion to 432 00:34:54,719 --> 00:34:56,600 Christ. That's what Luke 17 said. 433 00:34:56,639 --> 00:35:01,520 We read about the 10 lepers, but listen to what Paul says in 434 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:05,240 Colossians 2. Therefore, as you have received 435 00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:08,240 Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. 436 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:11,600 How did you receive Him? By faith or by grace through 437 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:15,000 faith, right? So you walk by faith, by the 438 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,520 grace of God, have you been firmly rooted and now being 439 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:22,800 built up in Him and established in your faith just as you were 440 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:27,920 instructed and overflowing with gratitude. 441 00:35:29,240 --> 00:35:33,600 What a statement. Overflowing with gratitude, 442 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:41,000 because what thankfulness does is reveal my conversion to 443 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:42,880 Christ. There's been a transformation. 444 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:46,240 I'm not like the Pagan world. I'm not ungrateful. 445 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:50,000 I'm not unthankful. I am not the person who just 446 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,640 tries to consume from God. I really want to obey God and 447 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:57,120 thank him for what he's done and give praise to his glorious 448 00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:05,400 name. So it reveals my conversion to 449 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:11,240 Christ. 2nd Corinthians 915 Thanks being to God for His 450 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:16,560 indescribable gift. I'm not so sure we understand 451 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:22,440 the indescribable nature of the gift of God, because if we did, 452 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:25,400 we'd be giving thanks all the time. 453 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:29,080 Fact. You got to get used to it 454 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:31,880 because the Book of Revelation says this. 455 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:38,360 And when the living creatures gave glory and honor and thanks 456 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:42,800 to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and 457 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:47,440 ever, the 24 elders which is the church will fall down before him 458 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:50,760 who sits on the throne and will worship him who lives forever 459 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:54,120 and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, 460 00:36:54,120 --> 00:37:00,080 saying, Worthy are you our Lord and our God to receive glory and 461 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:05,000 honor and power. For you created all things, and 462 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:12,600 because of your will they existed and were created. 4 463 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:17,680 Living creatures stand around the throne of God, always saying 464 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:22,160 holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. 465 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:27,880 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. 466 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:38,120 Worship him, praise him, honor him with Thanksgiving. 467 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:44,200 And they haven't been redeemed, for living creatures have not 468 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:48,840 been redeemed. They're spirit beings, they're 469 00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:53,520 angels. But us, we've been redeemed. 470 00:37:54,920 --> 00:38:03,160 And so a thankful heart reveals #1 my conversion to Christ #2 it 471 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:10,520 reveals my commitment to the will of God, my commitment to 472 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:14,400 the will of God. In other words, this is the will 473 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:16,240 of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 474 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:18,600 What? That you give thanks in all 475 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:22,760 things. So now I'm, I'm going to reveal 476 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:27,760 my commitment to God. Lord, not only am I converted by 477 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:34,040 you, I am committed to you so much so that I will purpose in 478 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:37,280 my heart to give thanks to you in everything. 479 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:47,920 Remember Jonah, the will of God was for Jonah to go to Nineveh 480 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:54,240 to give thanks and everything. Jonah wasn't about to give 481 00:38:54,240 --> 00:38:59,120 thanks nor go to Nineveh. He went the opposite way. 482 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:04,720 And you know the story so overboard, swallowed by a great 483 00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:07,040 fish. He's in the belly of the fish 484 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:10,320 and listen to what he says in the belly of the fish. 485 00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:16,360 While I was fainting away, verse 7 of Jonah chapter 2, I 486 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:23,800 remembered the Lord. It's always good to remember the 487 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,840 Lord, especially when you're in the belly of a fish. 488 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:33,240 I remember the Lord, and my prayer came to you into your 489 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:38,320 holy temple. Those who regard vain idols 490 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:43,320 forsake their faithfulness. He did. 491 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:48,480 He forsook His faithfulness. He forsook His commitment 492 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:54,640 because he regarded vain idols. It's in this case was him the 493 00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:59,360 worship of himself that he would not go and preach the gospel to 494 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:04,000 the Ninevites because they were an ungodly nation. 495 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:12,080 And those who regard their idols always forsake their 496 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:16,840 faithfulness, their commitment. Why do we forsake our commitment 497 00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:20,040 to giving thanks to God? Because we have another idol, 498 00:40:21,560 --> 00:40:25,840 something more important to us than the true living God. 499 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:33,440 So he says. But I will sacrifice to you with 500 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:40,640 the voice of Thanksgiving that which I have vowed. 501 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:44,680 I will pay salvation from the Lord. 502 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:51,360 Then the Lord commanded the fish and vomited Jonah up on dry 503 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:57,520 land. Maybe, just maybe, God is 504 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:08,160 patiently waiting for your situation, your attitude to say, 505 00:41:08,160 --> 00:41:11,400 Lord, I have forsaken my commitment. 506 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:17,040 I will sacrifice to you with the voice of Thanksgiving. 507 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:23,440 I will thank you that I am single and not married. 508 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:29,920 I will thank you that I am married but can't have children. 509 00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:35,800 I will thank you that even though I want to be physically 510 00:41:35,800 --> 00:41:40,760 better, I know that Your grace is sufficient for me. 511 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:47,920 And I thank you. And maybe it's that time that 512 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:53,280 God throws you up out of your situation onto solid ground. 513 00:41:55,520 --> 00:42:02,560 I don't know. But I do know this Thanksgiving 514 00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:11,560 reveals my conversion to Christ. It reveals my commitment to the 515 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:17,800 will of God. What else does it reveal? 516 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:22,480 Well, you're going to have to come back next week. 517 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,000 Figure that one out. Let's pray. 518 00:42:26,240 --> 00:42:31,760 Lord, we are grateful for today. Truly, Lord, you are a great 519 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:37,200 God. Forgive us for our ingratitude. 520 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:43,800 Pray that all of our lives will be challenged today to live for 521 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:45,120 the glory and honor of Your name. 522 00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:55,160 Then we might give praise and Thanksgiving to you in Jesus 523 00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:56,440 name, Amen.